A DECLARATION OF The Proceed of His Highness the Lord Protector; And His Reason Touching the late Change and Revolution in Parliament; With the true and perfect Copy of the new TEST and Engagement, tendered to each Member, in order to the Government of the Church, the Liberties of the People, and the Laws of the Nation. With the Parliaments Declaration thereupon; portrait of Oliver Cromwell framed by laurels London, printed by R. WOOD, 1654. A Declaration of the proceed of his Highness the Lord Protector; with His Reasons touching the late Change and Revolution in Parliament; and the true and perfect Copy of the Engagement: with the Parliaments Declaration thereupon. HIs Highness the Lord Protector having taken into serious consideration the Results and proceed of the Parliament, and their insisting upon four days debate about the Government, without coming to any Question thereupon, was pleased (to prevent the Evils that might ensue through delay) to send notice, That he intended in person to meet them in the Painted-Chamber; where divers Members repaired; and his Highness coming from White-Hall by water, entered the Room, and declared himself as followeth: THat when he met them, and delivered his mind to them, in the same place the other day, he did it with much more hopes and comfort then now, That he was very sorry to find them falling into heats and divisions; opened to them at large the miscarriages of the former longParliament, and by what means he came to the Government, and that the people had many ways given consent thereunto. That when in his speech the other day, he told them they were a free Parliament, he did also consider there was a Reciprocation, for that the same Government that made them a Parliament, made him Protector; and as they were entrusted with some things, so is he with other things. And that there were some things in the Government Fundamental, and could not be altered: As 1 That the Government should be in one person and a Parliament. 2 That Parliaments should not be made perpetual; which would deprive the People of their Successions: Nor that Parliaments should be always sitting; that is, as soon as one Parliament is up, that another should come and sit in their places the very next day, and that this could not be, without subjecting the Nation to an Arbytrary power in governing, because Parliaments, as long as they sit, are absolute and unlimited. 3 That the third Fundamental was in the matter of the Militia; and therefore, that for preventing the two Inconveniences, The Militia was not to be trusted in any one Hand or Power; but so to be disposed, that as the Parliament ought to have a check upon the Protector, to prevent excesses in him; so on the other hand, the Protector ought to have a check upon the Parliament in the business of the Militia, to prevent excesses in them; because if it were wholly in the Parliament, They m ght (when they would) perpetuate themselves, but now the Militia being disposed as it is, the one stands as a Counterpoise to the other, and renders the Balance of Government the more even, and the Government itself the more firm and stable. 4. The last was about a due Liberty of Conscience in matter of Religion, wherein Bonuds and Limits ought to be set, so as to prevent persecution. To this his Highness added, that the rest of the things in the Government were examinable and alterable, as the occasion and the state of affairs should require. And as for a Negative voice, he claimed in not, save only in the aforesaid particulars, That in all other things he had only a deliberative Power, and if he did not pass such Laws as were presented to him, within 20 days after their Presentmena, they were to be Laws without his consent. And therefore his Highness further declared, that things being thus, he was sorry to understand, That any of them should go about to overthrow what was so settled, contrary to their Trusts received from the People; which could not but bring on very great Inconveniences. To prevent which, he told them, he was necessitated to appoint a Test or Recognition of the Government, which was to be signed by Them, before they went any more into the House. And so his Highness dismissed Them. The TEST. I AB. do hereby promise and engage myself to be true and faithful to the Lord Protector, and the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland; and that according to the tenor of the Indenture, whereby I am returned to serve in this present Parliament, I will not propose or give my consent, to alter the Government, as it is settled in one single Person and a Parliament. This engrossed in Parchment, was placed on a Table near the door of the House to be perused by the Members, & subscribed before they went in. Above 140 of the Members forth with signed it and took their places, and many more are hourly signing. The Parliaments Declaration. THe Parliament doth Declare, that the Recognition of the Government by the Members of this Parliament in the words following; viz. I do heaeby freely promise and Engage, to be true and Faithful to the Lord Protector, and the Commonwealth of England. Scotland and Ireland, and shall not (according to the Tenor of the Indenture, whereby I am returned to serve in this present parliament) propose, or give my consent to altor the Government as it is settled in one person, and a parliament. Doth not comprehend, or shall be construed to comprehend therein the whole Government, consisting of Forty two Articles; but that the same doth only include what concerns the Government of the Commonwealth by a single person, and successive parliaments ORdered by the Parliament that this Declaration be forthwith printed and published. Hen. Scobel, Clerk of the parliament.